Brazil: Every half an Hour, a Child Is Abused

Every half an hour, a child is sexually abused in Brazil. Sometimes by Brazilians, sometimes by foreigners, who are presented the children by an intermediary who has rented them by the day from their families.

Social justice has never been Brazil’s strong point, after decades of corrupt rule and nepotism practised by a handful of elite autocrats who own 95% of Brazil’s huge wealth, while 40 million of the other 95% live below the poverty line, on less than one USD per day.

The “Sentinela” (watch-tower) programme has issued the statistics as part of a public awareness programme. 80% of the children abused are less than ten years old. Given that many, if not the majority, of cases of sexual abuse are unreported, through fear that the source of income will dry up or that the “protector” will exact punishment, these figures might not reflect the full horror of the tragedy.

In some parts of Brazil, fathers abuse their daughters because they want to be the first “macho” to take their virginity. In others, people pay up to 100 USD to have sexual relations with a virgin who can be as young as seven.

This is a sad and sorry comment on Brazilian society after decades of ineptitude. It is hoped that Lula can bring a modicum of social justice to this country.